The Milliner


A milliner was someone, usually a woman, who owned a store called a millinary and sold an assortment of things. They sold dolls for girls, dresses for masquerades, shifts, aprons, petticoat hoops and riding costumes. They sold everything from ladies undergarments to men’s hats. They sold things they made and things they imported from England.
The first thing a milliner would do to make a dress would be to measure the person they’re making the dress for. Next they measure the fabric. After that they cut the fabric with scissors, sew the fabric together with a needle and thread and decorate the dress with ribbons, lace, ect. To make a hat they would first plan the hat. Next they gather the materials and cut them. Then they would have shape it into a mold after they sew it. A millinary was a shop in town.
Milliners needed to know how to do many things. They learned many things as an apprentice such as math, reading, writing and doing laundry. They also needed experience in cutting different cloth, measuring people, and making clothes to fit people. Milliners would also iron clothes.
Milliners were important to the community in different ways. One way is they knew a lot about clothing and fashion trade. They imported the latest fashions from England. Another way was they could make new clothes out of old clothes. They did some of the work of tailors like altering clothes.
Millinaries don’t exist today. They have been replaced by clothing factories. Instead of measuring people, factories mannequins to confirm the fit or to make things like hats, dresses, and skirts. Milliners designed clothes by sketching them on paper and today we use computers.


A Near Death Experience


Nancy was a soldier. She had a husband Ned, a four-year-old daughter Jenna, and a two-year-old son Benny. In 1992 during a battle a bomb fragment hit her near her spinal cord. For two weeks she was in the army hospital. Next she was in London’s hospital for three weeks. Finally she went to Manhattan’s hospital for three weeks. Now her family could visit her. She couldn’t move her limbs for six weeks and didn’t remember her injury until ten years later…
Mom, you look fantastic!” 14-year-old Jenna commented.
Nancy was looking pretty in her knee-length ruby dress, black heels, and gold earrings. Her hazel eyes were sparking her brown hair let down.
“As do you, love.” Jenna grinned. She was wearing her new no-sleeved knee –length sapphire dress. Her sparkling emerald eyes coordinated her green shawl. Her red hair matched the multitude of freckles on her face. Then there was a knock on the door. “Coming!” Nancy called. They were going to La Cirque, a fancy restaurant.
When they got there they saw was a huge line! Luckily 12-year-old Benny spotted the “RESERVATIONS” desk. Boy, they were glad they made reservations. After they ordered clam chowder, Nancy suddenly started screaming”I can’t move my arms or legs!” She had been putting a lot of strain on them the past few weeks getting ready to go to their anniversary party.
Apparently someone called 911because paramedics soon came. Nancy was rushed to the hospital (she stayed there eight weeks). Her family visited her every day. But when her kin wasn’t around she was having flashbacks to the war.
Then she recalled that when she was a soldier she got hit near the spinal cord. Nancy remembered that she was in different hospitals for eight weeks. Back then she just wanted to in the U.S.A. with her family. Now she was in the U.S.A. with her family. Right where she belonged.


Cheetah in My Locker

I came across a cheetah

On the way to school
His back was very yellow
And his legs were very green
I hid him in my locker
So that teacher would not see
He stayed there very quietly

Until frightened by Olivia C.

Ice Cream

I am Lydia Fehrenbach
I run FEHRENBACH’s ICE CREAM STORE,
There are flavors in my freezer
You have never seen before,
Five divine creations
Too delicious to resist,
Why not do yourself a favor,
Try the flavors on my list:

Conway's Cow

Troyer's Turtle

Kaschinske's Kitty

Frank's Frankfurter

Flannery's Fudge

I am Lydia Fehrenbach,
I run FEHRENBACH's ICE CREAM STORE,
Taste a flavor from my freezer,
You will surely ask for more.


I am…

I am a cheetah
Black as a night
I run fast as the wind
I pounce on my prey
I can sleep
I can eat
I am a cheetah

I Cannot Write a Poem

Forget it
You must be kidding
I can't make the words rhyme.
I have to go to the bathroom.
I'm too sick.
I'm tired.
My dog pesters me when I try.
My mind is in Scotland.
I can't concentrate.
Olivia Conway is pinching me again.
Time's up? Uh oh!
All I have is a dumb list of excuses.
You like it? Really? No kidding.
Thanks a lot. Would you like to see another one?

The Trouble With Talking


"Fiona! Time for school!"
“I’ll be up in a minute Mom!” Fiona Fox yelled as she finished her breakfast of berries& cream (she loved berries), grabbed her school bag, dashed out of her home, and to her mother waiting outside the door. As Mrs. Fox gave her her lunch, Fiona started talking, “O.k. let’s see… lunch, jacket, pens, pencils, dress, hair bow, quill, inkwell, inkbottle, extra inkbottle, folder, reading for fun book, A.R. book, bag…Oh no!” Fiona dashed inside to get a new bag, got one, and ran back out. As she quickly crammed all her things to the new bag, telling her mom what happened, “Well when Simon and I went berry picking yesterday my bag must have got stuck on a branch and made the hole and…”
“Fiona.”
“I’m sorry l talk too much mom.”
“Well if you don’t hurry you’ll be late for school.”
“Fiona Foxss sstop talking!” Simon Snake hissed,” Jusst because I am your besst friend does not mean…”
” Simon Snake, Fiona Fox!” Mrs. Bobcat, their teacher said clearly agitated, “How many times have I told you to be quiet today?”
“Sseventeen missss.” Simon replied. They had only been in school an hour.
“Well…detention two…”
”You already gave us three hours tonight,” Fiona interrupted, “and we don’t go out for recess this month.” “Tomorrow?”
“No”
“Saturday?”
“Yess.”
“Simon.“ Fiona groaned, “You said we could go berry picking Saturday!” Simon slowly exhaled.
This was a good day for Fiona & Simon.
“Mom, Dad I’m home” Fiona called as she threw her bag on the floor. She quickly inhaled, the Snakes, including Simon were here and Mrs. Bobcat!
“Go ssit by Ssimon.” Mrs. Snake said.
“We are in sseriouss trouble.“ Simon whispered. Fiona nodded.
”Now Fiona why do you and Simon talk in school?”Mrs. Bobcat asked softly. “Answer quietly Billy Bear and the wolves are out.” Billy Bear, the meanest creature in the whole forest!” “Well…”Fiona said in her normal loud voice “Simon tells me to be quiet but I’m speaking my mind and what’s on it. I love to talk it’s fun you should try it Mrs. Bobcat…”She stopped suddenly. Billy and his gang of wolves were outside the door! Fiona’s loud voice had lead them to her door!
“Now stay calm. We should get everything we can. If I could get us in this mess, I can get us out.” Fiona tried to sound confidant. As they packed, Billy and his gang where preparing a battering ram.
“Thiss is not good,” Simon remarked,” but I have a plan. Firsst all of uss excsept Fiona hide. Then Fiona talkss until Billy getss sso fed up he leaves.”
“Oh so I can talk about talking, my subject?” Fiona asked. “Precsissely” Simon answered.
Five minutes later everyone - except Fiona was safely hidden. Just then the battering ram hit the door smashing it to smithereens. Billy entered and saw Fiona who imminently started talking about talking why she loved talking how fun it was to talk why she couldn’t live without talking and anything else she could about talking. Finally Billy got so fed up he left. And Fiona never talked loud again.



The Rolling Snow Cone

Splash! Bert, the snow cone maker put blue flavoring on the bumpy snow-covered bolder. Then Bert climbed down the ladder and he leaned against the rock as he got to the bottom, the rock swiveled then it started to rotate and then it plummeted down the Rocky Mountains leaving behind it’s confused maker. As it begins to gain speed the bolder started to hit things. Crash! The rock hit a car. Everywhere you turned you saw people yelling” Run” or ” Scram” at other people. Children playing outside ran indoors, women picking up babies and running for cover. Bang! The bolder hit a fence leaving behind snow and rock shards. Crack it hit a greenhouse. Oh no! There are children in the pool up ahead are scrambling over one another to get out of the pool to there parents. Splat! It ran over a bike. Splash! It landed in the pool sending water flying everywhere. As it settled on the bottom the rock broke into a million pieces it created a hole. Then Bert came down and offered everyone small snow cones.